About Feasting Hearts

After working in the international charity sector for nearly 15 years, from Iraq to the UK, and a few places in between, a very random thought linked to a very random engagement story led me to the start of *Feasting Hearts*. Being a self-confessed foodie and a hopeless romantic, (admittedly neither unique passions), I wanted to bring together a community of like minded folks for whom food is not simply about sustenance. But rather, something quite inherent, soulfully necessary, and deeply nourishing. It is a trigger.
The stories showcased on Feasting Hearts do not necessarily follow the same pattern and do not necessarily come with an exact or tested recipe. It depends on what those sharing want to share, what they can remember, and what suits their purpose to tell their story. They may also shift which ‘Heart’ they fall under - as hearts do change, and so will we.

We all have stories of food and of love, and many are so intertwined you cannot have one without the other. These are the stories, the recipes, the memories I am hungry to hear.

Apologies for the pun – suppose there has to be at least one.

If I am asking you to share such memories with me, at least let me give you my headline bio:

Sarah was born in Canada, but currently resides/cooks/bakes/eats in the United Kingdom with her equally foodie Italian husband and toddler daughter. Professionally, Sarah works as a programme manager for international charities, but recreationally you can usually find her in the kitchen, buying cookbooks, or scanning markets for inspiration.

BASIL is ….

…woven throughout history, with origins in both love and hateful sentiment. Romans believed the herb a symbol of hatred, though centuries later it became a symbol of love. So much so that Italian women would place a pot of basil on their balcony to show they were looking for romance, and then give a sprig of basil to the person they chose to marry. In the Victorian era, to receive sweet basil meant the person sent you good luck, akin to a friend wishing you well. Though to receive a simple common basil was quite the insult - this person was most likely not someone on friendly terms, and certainly not smitten. In India, holy basil, or Tulsi, is also an important Hindu symbol of love, with the plant found often in the home. In Haiti, basil is sacred to the voodoo goddess of love, Erzulie.

It is this blend of love and hate, the good and bad, the heart-breaking and the heart-healing that made this sweet herb a clear choice for Feasting Hearts.